A taste of knowledge
by One-of-stone
Summary: An unknown man arrives at the Polar Star Dorm. The following unfoldings may change the gang's perception in more than one way... Follows the manga set between the rebel victory and start of year 2. (Possible Sorina) - Update will now follow the 2nd year. SPOILERS. -
1. Who to know

_**A Taste of Knowledge f** ollows the manga till chapter 264. I don't own copyright on SnS (sadly, as I would love to) and related characters, I just wrote it instead of studying for my exams…_

* * *

 **Who to know**

It was a bleak winter's day in Japan. The wind biting any exposed skin and the icy rain felt as daggers on the poor souls forced outside. Only a fool would willingly traverse on foot in this weather. Still, a shadow crept its way towards the intended destination, thuds ringing out as it marched through a restricted area. A hoarse breath accompanied this beat, transforming into a duet of misery.

The silhouette halted before an eerie façade comprised of fence, ivy and balcony railing. This monolithic building was a stark contrast to the exterior environment. A soothing light shimmered through the curtains, and the walls couldn't hold back the loud, cheering voices from within. Would anyone be cruel enough to disturb this celebratory mood? Even so, the figure had made it this far and didn't intend to be cut off at the finish-line. A hand was hastily unveiled before rapping the front door.

It was a young man in his late teens who answered the knock "Oh you've made it back Naki…" the redhead stopped dead in his tracks for a second " _ **Who're you?**_ " he continued in broken English.

"Hello, might I have a word with Fumio Daimido-dono" Soma was taken aback by the stranger's proficiency in Japanese. His appearance all but screamed foreigner. The dirt blonde hair and the electric blue eyes of the Gaijin, fixing the young chef to the spot. It wasn't until the question was repeated he could muster an answer. "Sorry 'bout that. I'll get her now… My name is Yukihira Soma by the way"

It would be apparent to anyone that the stranger had interrupted some sort of celebration, and this surprising arrival had everybody on the edge of their seat. The last time an unexpected guest came, it had nearly ended in the expulsion of most of them.

As the Madonna of the Polar Star appeared the tension became palpable. Without uttering a word the newcomer handed her an envelope. She skimmed through the letter before commenting "I am sure you are well aware he is no longer headmaster, but the dorm will accommodate you… if you pass the test"

A thin smile adorned his lips "just show me the kitchen…" however he was interrupted by the voice of a female. "Absolutely not! I will not tolerate anyone associated with my father's way of cooking, on my school grounds. How did you even circumvent the security team?"

The smile widened to a knowing grin before he answered "Nakiri Erina-san, I can assure you that I am in no way connected to Nakamura Asami. The headmaster Fumio-dono referred to was your grandfather. As for your question, in this case I simply maintained my access privileges from my last visit… though there _are_ glaring holes in your security system."

This left the headmistress speechless. Was there really an acquaintance of her grandfather she didn't even know the existence of? "Oh where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Benjamin Williams, though Ben will suffice"

* * *

With the resistance as spectators, Ben began cooking his entrance meal. It was apparent that he his way around a kitchen and though he lacked the speed of a professional chef, he still had precise skills. Erina eyed his ingredients and utensils; to her it was obvious what he was making. It was no complicated dish, but that in of itself was a dual-edged sword since it would leave no place to hide any shortcomings. He cut the meat before frying it on a pan; as he did a savory smell began pervading the air. Ben made the egg mixture as he waited for the noodles to boil. After they were done came the crucial part: any misstep here would ruin the dish and earn him an outdoor sleep. After adding the finishing touches he plated his dish "Oho, what is this?" the dorm-mother mused. "An Italian classic; Pasta carbonate" came the obvious reply.

There was dead-silent as Fumio taste tested it. Everyone anticipating an over the top reaction, but none came. After giving it some thought the Madonna remarked "you pass" _That was it?_ _You pass? No remarks, nothing?_ Takumi stepped up to the plate to try the dish and once again they were underwhelmed "Yes it gets a passing grade. It is clear he isn't a part of the culinary industry though" the only one unfazed by it was surprisingly the 'chef' himself as he was eating a portion of his own. A haughty voice cut through the air "shouldn't you be a little more affected by the judgment of _your_ dish?" Erina couldn't contain the frustration over his nonchalant attitude any longer. "What? I am eating… this is my dinner you know. Besides its just food"

That crossed the line for the headmistress. How could anybody have such disregard for the art of food? She would try this dish herself. That's when it hit her; besides being a bit on the salty side, the main issue of the dish was there wasn't a trace of passion in it. It tasted okay, but it was meant as sustenance, nothing more. She had no idea what to make of him.

* * *

As Ben was invited in to be a part of the post Régiment de Cuisine party, they got to know a bit about their supposed new dorm-member. He was European, in his mid-twenties and he had spent a little over a year traveling before coming to Japan. There he learned of the latest news about Tōtsuki; and he had decided to meet with whoever was headmaster.

Erina in particular learned a little trick of his. Yūki had proposed that they played a card game, with Ben showing his reluctance to do so. He commented that it would be boring… or clichéd if they had a forfeit such as revealing a secret about themselves. This was then, of course, implemented to a game of old maid; to the supposed annoyance of Ben. In reality he had mind-gamed the others to follow his plan, like the story of the pied piper. Oh the humiliation the headmistress had suffered, as she admitted to have had a childhood crush on Saiba Jōichirō after a particularly crushing defeat. Nakiri Alice suddenly sauntered in followed by her aide. A moment of silence passed before she exclaimed " _ **Ben?Hvordan har du det?**_ *" and proceeded to hug him…

* * *

 _This is my first SnS fanfic, hoped you liked it. I intend to write at least three more chapters with some amount of a Sorina ship growing. If there are any remarks on my writing please let me know. On a related note I might have forgotten to write some words in a sentence please let me know where, and I'll try to fix it. I will at the bottom of each chapter include a list of translated sentences, though I'll try to keep them at a minimum._

 _ ***Ben? How have you been?**_

\- One-of-Stone out


	2. Knowledge is Power

**Knowledge is power**

Nakiri Alice suddenly sauntered in followed by her aide. A moment of silence passed before she exclaimed " _ **Ben?Hvordan har du det?**_ " and proceeded to hug him. This display of intimate affection greatly shocked the crowd of the dorm.

Erina had never even heard of Ben, yet Alice seemed close enough to hug him? What was their relationship? Did they know each other through her grandfather? If so, how come she didn't know of Ben? She'd always been the heir apparent of the Nakiri dynasty; it would make sense for her to know this information.

The relationship status seemed to occupy most of the group; the only one unresponsive was Kurokiba. This perplexed them even more. Kurokiba and Alice dating each other were all but verbally confirmed.

After the hug, which in honesty had lasted all of two seconds, Ben walked over to the black-haired aide. For a moment it looked as though they were going to hug as well, but they opted for a firm handshake instead. Just what was happening?

"So… how do you three know each other?" It was Ryōko who finally dared asking.

Alice, oblivious to the cultural difference, started. "It was a couple of years back, when I still lived in Denmark. Dad held some sort of social gathering where Ben attended."

"Miss, I think it was your farewell party; just before leaving for Japan."

Ever intrigued by the unfolding, all eyes turned to Ben.

"I was there on a work-related note…The Nakiri family is in quite high regards even in Denmark, and I knew Mr. Sōe through my family… anyways when I was finished with my own dealings, I decided to socialize for a bit and I bumped into Alice and Ryō."

Kurokiba then took up the mantle "Oh yeah, I remember. Miss Alice threw a temper tantrum…"

"I did _not!_ I was merely a little upset because I had lost something dear to me, that I had planned taking with me. Ben offered to find it for me… he use some incomprehensible method to find it in 15 minutes."

Ben let out a tired sigh. "First of all, it took me 12 minutes and 45 seconds. Second of all, it's not voodoo Alice; you of all people should know that… I merely asked some questions to methodically rule out places where she had left her prized possession."

EveRyōne was left speechless by the story. This stranger had tackled the problem in front of him, knowing nothing beforehand, yet he'd done what Alice... and presumably a small horde of maids hadn't been able to do, in a matter of minutes. Still, did that warrant such an affectionate display?

"But you _hugged_ him." It had been the other Nakiri girl who pointed this out. Was that all Alice knew of him? Through their respective families? Alice, not missing the chance to tease her cousin, put on her most patronizing tone. "Oh… my sweet, innocent Erina. That is a normal way of greeting acquaintances in Denmark."

Yūki, still wanting to know more; again put her attention on Ben "Why were you at the party? How come you are in Japan if you're from Denmark? More importantly, why did you come to Tōtsuki? Did you come to see Alice?"

Ben, whether it was because he almost two heads taller than her or not, was unfazed by this questioning. "The reason I was at the party is confidential, I can only discuss it with permission from that client. As for why I'm here, it actually concerns Nakiri Erina, not her cousin… Which reminds me; Nakiri-san could we find a vacant room?"

The last part was directed at the new headmistress. She was highly skeptical of him, especially after the last round of old maid, and replied thusly. "You can tell them as well, I don't mind." _Plus I want witnesses_.

"Ok. I have a proposal to make… and before any of you freak out, I mean a business proposal." Some of the dorm-members had been ready to faint at the mere, particular word he uttered. "A business proposal? What can you offer, exactly? Find my lost teddy-bear?" she was unimpressed to put it mildly.

"A bit more than that, to be honest. I can use my network to give you information on various factions. You didn't think these sudden changes in administration would go unnoticed, did you? People will try to exploit this upheaval, I can mend the damages. Furthermore, I am quite the keen observer and my methods could prove useful."

She was still pondering whether see would take up the offer, but Ben assured her he wouldn't leave Japan before she gave a clear answer.

* * *

Benjamin's offer had left the group shell-shocked making the party rather tense. Still they were too intrigued by his astute reasoning skills, and before they knew it he was helping them in a spectrum of ways. If something was lost, he found it; if there was a disagreement, he solved it. It genuinely was as if Ben had an answer for everything. And if he couldn't give a conclusive answer, he'd do his best to explain what he thought was the best possibility.

After some time Tadokoro suggested they could play old maid again, as she saw their guest was getting exhausted answering menial questions. Erina protested this heatedly, now that Alice was here she couldn't afford to lose. The white-haired vixen had enough dirt on her as it was; she and Ben would make a deadly duo to humiliate the new headmistress.

Benjamin whether out of consideration for Erina or as part of some higher plan, told them he was too tired to play cards again. Instead he pulled a small keyboard out and began playing. At first it was an impromptu lighthearted melody, but soon he took request from the crowd. He played theme songs from TV-shows, contemporary pop, evergreens, and most popular of all his tunes - Disney songs.

Every one sang along to the soundtrack of their childhood, regardless of talent or language. Alice and Ryō sang in Danish; the Aldini brothers in Italian; Hayama mixed between Hindi and Japanese; the dorm-members, Hisako, Mito, and Erina stuck to Japanese; whereas Ben himself sang in whatever language the movie was supposed to be set in. Ryōko, at some point, brought out her infamous 'rice juice' and the party returned with a vengeance.

* * *

It had been some time since the piano music stopped, as Erina went down the hallway. She'd said she needed some air, which was true, but she was also dead tired after her father's 'revolution'. She was at the main-door in the hall when she heard voices from the other side of it. She recognized both of them.

"It's illegal, I can't do it" the voice, clearly belonging to Mimasaka Subaru, pleaded.

"It was also illegal when you did it on your own. This time you'll do it to help her." The other voice surprised Erina, as he had claimed he'd go to bed - Benjamin Williams. She knew there was something fishy about him. "This time you will have official permission to snoop around. Alternatively, I can go to the police… even if you're acquitted Nakiri-san will be forced to expel you"

Said headmistress snuck up to the door, still a bit opened what she saw was terrible. Mimasaka looking despondent and defeated, shaking Benjamin's hand; he had the most satisfied smile plastered on his face. Even when Yukihira-kun served one of his atrocities against mankind, he'd not have this gruesome a grin. The scene looked like a gothic mural of a person signing a deal with Satan.

"Smile a bit, will you? All you need to do is keep me informed on what she does. Don't help her unless she comes to you, ok? Alice will keep an eye on the lost cause, and help her…even if she doesn't know. You better head back quickly, it's quite chilly." Ben turned on his heel and began marching back to the dorm. Erina had to act quickly or he'd find her. She could hear his footsteps on the tile-flooring of the hall, from her hiding spot.

After what seemed like an eternity waiting, she began her own climb of the stair. She was far too exhausted to go back to the party now.

* * *

It was a brand new day, and Erina had barely slept. She'd spent the whole night pondering Benjamin's offer, and what she had subsequently seen. Was she going to be like Mimasaka Subaru, a defeated informant? Or would this strange Dane prove invaluable? These thoughts had rummaged her head for hours, trying to figure out how to confront him. She was sitting in the dining room, as far as she could tell eveRyōne was out and about doing chores. The only person she could hear was Yukihira-kun in the kitchen, creating something awful no doubt.

As Ben still hadn't come down, she decided she would come to him. Surprisingly she met him sooner than expected. He was walking down the staircase, one hand on the railing. She was just about to start her tirade, when she noticed something was off. He wasn't walking straight and he looked very pale. Before she knew it, he took a tumble down the last couple of steps. Erina watched it helplessly as he landed at her feet.

" _ **Sōma!**_ Sōma, you need to help me! Ben just collapsed! I don't know if he's breathing."

* * *

 _This concludes the second chapter of_ _ **a taste of Knowledge**_ _, I hope you liked it. If so, or if you have any suggestions feel free to review it. I'll try posting every Wednesday, as my vacation just began, but no promises. I have still a couple of chapters planned ahead, but feel free to suggest anything you'd like to see._

\- One-of-Stone out


	3. A Taste of knowledge

**A taste of Knowledge**

* * *

The Polar Star Dormitory was quiet as the tomb. With Yukihira-kun's help, Erina had managed carrying the unconscious Ben to a couch in the dining room. The Dane still looked skeletal, as if lying on his deathbed. Erina and Yukihira gauged for any visible changes to their patient's condition. Benjamin began to open his eyes. Slowly, his gaze went from a bleary mess to the usual, inquisitorial fixation. Though speaking softly there was still a commanding tone in his voice, when he asked what had happened.

"You collapsed for some reason. Luckily it seems like you didn't hurt yourself badly, but it still scared me senseless. I had Yukihira-kun help me carry you."

Ben began sitting up only to be laid gently down again by the headmistress.

"Well it's not the first time this happened, actually. Sleep and I aren't normally the best of friends, so I usually have to exhaust myself to the point of fainting."

Erina was shocked. That sounded horrible to do that to your body. She was just about to raise this argument, but was cut short.

"I get that. Sometimes I can't sleep for hours on end, until I work myself hard in the kitchen."

The blonde Nakiri had never thought Yukihira-kun would pull the same kind of stunt, but then again he was… eccentric to say the least.

"Really, Yukihira-san? Maybe the two of us aren't that different… Sorry to inconvenience you more, but would you be so kind to make me something to eat? I would've done it, but unfortunately I'm bedridden."

Yukihira- kun began rummaging in the kitchen while Erina tended to Ben. He was beginning to look a bit healthier as the minutes went by. She didn't know if it was the right time to question him about the night before. She was afraid if she pressured him too much, he'd collapse again.

"100 yen for your thoughts." He inquired.

Erina didn't know where to start. This could be really dangerous if she played her cards wrong, but she had to start somewhere. "I don't think your services will be needed."

Benjamin made an exhalation of air, which must have been meant as a chuckle. "Is this about what you heard last night?"

That caught the headmistress off-guard, how could he possibly know she'd overheard his conversation. The answer came as if Ben had read her mind.

"If you could hear my steps in the hall, assume I heard yours. As for how I knew you were the one spying on my private business, it's quite simple really. You met me at the staircase, indicating a need for answers."

Though not liking she had been discovered nor that Benjamin called it spying, his argument made sense. "What was that even about? You blackmailed Mimasaka Subaru to work for you?"

The Dane got a mischievous glint in his eye "I like to know a bit about potential clients. He is my best option. Furthermore I'd like to know the happenings of Totsuki when I'm not here… Besides, if he helps me, he'll be able to claim he did it for me. I'm owed a few favors by the Japanese police, and they will not make a fuss."

Erina was horrified by just how much influence Benjamin had on a government agency, of a foreign country no less. "Still you can't make people do your bidding like that, it's inhumane. Mimasaka Subaru looked positively terrified."

A grin began spreading across Ben's face, matching the glint. "I'm glad you liked it. I've always had a flair for the dramatic. I went a bit overboard to really sell it to you. 'The stranger arriving at the school is an evil mastermind!' was my aim. I was often the villain in our school plays… or the wise sage - Well that isn't the point. The point is I wanted to see the reaction my spy would make. You coming to me directly is a bit problematic since you'd most often tackle a problem head-on, but since it took you this long, you still like to think things through."

There weren't a lot of things that could truly creep Nakiri Erina out, but being analyzed as a math problem apparently was one of them. "What does all this have to do with working together?"

Ben quickly adopted a business tone "That you tackle problems head on means you won't you my more covert talents, but the fact you think things through means you want information. All I need in kind is a token payment, plus raw data."

The headmistress raised an eyebrow at the last part. "What do you mean by 'raw data'?"

"I live on my knowledge on people, corporations, nations and everything in between. To get this knowledge I sort through what may seem as trivial tidbits, nut on a larger scale can give a lot of insight… even to find an item I've never seen before. It doesn't even need to be much, just what happens at the school."

"I can just tell you anything at all?" Erina was taken aback. If he could truly give solid advice from menial stories from school, then Ben could prove useful.

"Anything, your grandfather told me of the enrollment of Yukihira Soma-san… as an example, of what he found would suit my interests."

The blonde girl thought this over. She had seen him make astute observations, and unearth lost objects for her fellow dorm mates, but she wasn't convinced - yet.

Ben finally sat up across from her. When he looked at her there was the same frightening aura around him, as the evening before when she overheard his conversation. "I can give you a personal try of my methods, if you want? Do you want me to give you information on someone? Is there something you have lost, that needs finding? Or perhaps you want me to tell a secret about you, you have never shared with _**anyone**_?"

Erina nodded mechanically at the last offer; if he could truly tell her a secret she had never told anyone she would accept his deal.

* * *

He started by handing her a small envelope, explaining she should open it when he told her to. He then uttered a sentence that would change her life forever.

Erina was shell-shocked. How could he have known? She didn't know it herself until he'd confirmed it. "H- how?"

"It is simple really, the informal addressing in a tense situation"

She was ready to scoff at him. Was that his entire reasoning?

"Then there's the secret you told last night… interesting how the subconscious mind works. It went a step out in generation, and when it happened - and puff now you won't have to spill the beans."

Erina was flabbergasted, but she still managed to say "B- but it's true! I really did!"

Ben furrowed his brow for an instant before saying "fascinating. There is also the simple fact, you kept eyeing in his direction. Do you want me to continue or have I proven my reasoning?"

The headmistress was left speechless she could only gesture with her head, that she'd heard enough. Benjamin then gave her permission to open the envelope. What it contained hit her just as hard. Because what Ben had said could easily have been fabricated on the spot from what he'd heard, but the note had to have been written before he collapsed.

It listed the points he had made to convince her, plus half a dozen other statements to back his claim. The last line on the paper meant Ben might have collapsed on purpose. It read:

 _If Erina Nakiri calls mr. Yukihira by his given name in a crisis-situation it will prove my hypothesis 'Erina likes Soma romantically'_

* * *

 _This concludes the 3_ _rd_ _chapter of '_ _ **A Taste of Knowledge**_ _' It was quite challenging to write this chapter as I needed Benjamin deducing Erina's blossoming feelings for a certain red-head. See you in the next one_

\- One-of-Stone out

 **P.S. I hope the story won't disappoint you, icombal231, but there is a limit to how much SoRina this'll feature. It's more of a story about their feelings growing, that it'll be SoRina fluff.**


	4. The price of Knowledge

**The price of knowledge**

 _If Erina Nakiri calls mr. Yukihira by his given name in a crisis-situation it will prove my hypothesis 'Erina likes Sōma romantically'_

Even after reading the list for the 20th time, the queen of Tōtsuki couldn't believe her own eyes. The points written down were all valid in terms of logical reasoning, but had she really done all of them? She felt her heart sink, each point seeming more like a criminal charge than a general observation.

Despite still being uncertain of her own emotions she managed to ask "Is it really that obvious?" it was only when she heard the question from her own voice she realized the dejected tone in it.

It reaction it solicited was almost as surprising as the revelation itself. Benjamin smiled at it; a genuine, kind smile to calm Erina down. "No of course it isn't. Each of the observations on that list would be hard to spot, and to the untrained eye it would be impossible to spot them all…"

Ben was cut short by the blonde girl "But you found out. So there's a possibility that others would as well."

This stranger, who paradoxically knew more about her than her actual friends, began talking again. His voice was firm when he inquired the million-yen question. "Would it really be bad if people found out? Do you think it's embarrassing, to like the 1st seat?"

Once again he was interrupted by the newly-appointed headmistress. "Of course it would. I spent the first year of high school treating him like dirt, hell I treated him worse than dirt. He'd probably laugh in my face, if I confessed."

Benjamin made a loud inhale before making his retort. The strain on his nerves was beginning to show. "Listen, Nakiri-san. What you do with your little romance drama is your choice. All I ever wanted was for you to accept my proposition… So do we have an agreement?"

There was still a figurative ocean of doubt in making this deal for Erina, but he had proven his skills more than enough to satisfy her curiosities and his talent could prove useful. So she reluctantly accepted.

The Dane then proceeded to pull out a contract regarding this arrangement. For what felt like an eternity of torment, the director thought she'd have to sign the deal with the detective in blood, but the next instant Ben procured her a blue-inked pen. There was no thunder or smoke when she wrote her signature either.

She knew it was too late to change the deal, but still felt the urgency to ask. "You won't use what I tell you against me right?"

Benjamin was businesslike in his demeanor when he answered. "I won't, unless you do something illegal, and it has to be severe. As an example your grandfather came to me, pleading the case regarding your father's abuse when Azami returned; sadly it was not a big enough case for me to deal with. And no, before you ask, I won't tell Yukihira Sōma about your 'crush'… Is that what people use in the vernacular?"

Erina stared at him in disbelief. Partially because he didn't think her father's treatment was bad enough to get involved in, but also because she found it hard to believe he would tell. "But you told me, that I have a _**crush**_ on Yukihira-kun."

Ben tried desperately not to sound frustrated now. "Yes… But there is a big difference telling between you and him: You already had a thing for him; I simply pointed it out. Mr. Yukihira on the other hand is uncertain of any romantic interest in a girl, and telling him about it could sway him in his decision - and that is not any of my business."

* * *

When Yukihira came back, Erina was glaring silently at Benjamin. She'd been pushing all sorts of questions until he finally had enough. The Dane had just stopped responding after the 50th question and lay back on the couch.

The tray he was carrying had a single bowl on it. The headmistress couldn't help stealing glimpses of the red-head. _Did Benjamin really have to reveal_ that _secret._ Yukihira- kun used his usual catchphrase as he handed Ben the tray. "It's really good Yukihira-san" admitted the patient.

Erina eyed the contents of the bowl. It was a simple congee, but it did smell heavenly. Yukihira-kun smiled broadly at the compliment, but the blonde noticed a twinge of sadness in his golden orbs "thanks, but I can't take any of the praise. The recipe is my mother's, she would always make it when I was sick."

Benjamin apparently had enough human decency not to pry. Instead he simple wolfed the rice porridge, as if he hadn't eaten all day; which was true, to be fair.

Yukihira-kun looked at him, but Erina couldn't tell what was going on in the red-head's mind. When he spoke the air froze "Ben, please make your most impressive dish for dinner, as repayment… You can use anything we have, and I'll make Fumio buy the rest of the ingredients."

For a moment there was a challenging, callous glare in the Dane's eyes, but it vanished instantly for a slightly mischievous glint. "ok… But first you need to get me to my room 'cus I need a gum."

Erina looked at him incredulously. He had more or less been challenged by the 1st seat of Tōtsuki, and Benjamin's only reaction was a want for a piece of chewing gum. "I think, I have some peppermint gum in my pocket." She said.

"Sadly that won't do Nakiri-san." _Why did it have to be a special kind of gum, or was it some variant of germ phobia?_ Again Benjamin seemed to be able to read her mind. "Because I need a nicotine gum… smoking in Japan really is a hassle."

* * *

When they reached the room Benjamin had borrowed, they were greeted with a breathtaking, but equally horrifying view. The room's giant pin board was filled to the brim with scraps of paper, different colored strings and general notes. He clearly hadn't been idling the entire night, but had systematically sorted through the information he had gained.

Erina tried fruitlessly to cover the uppermost right corner, where the note on her and Yukihira-kun hung. Luckily said chef was preoccupied with the rest of the board to notice, and Ben was sifting through his luggage to find the nicotine gum.

"This is really impressive, Ben." Was all Yukihira-kun could muster saying.

"Glad you like it, but it's nothing compared to when I work on a case." Said Dane had only raised his head for a moment, before returning to the bag. He mumbled something along the line of 'got you' just as the red-head made his second comment "What is it, exactly?"

"It's a mind-map of relations, naturally. I gathered some knowledge yesterday this is the results."

Yukihira-kun looked positively impressed.

"So this is the extent of what you learned. I wish I could do something similar."

The blonde girl looked at the red-head for a second, the slightest blush tingeing her cheeks. She quickly landed her eyes on the Dane again. To Erina' surprise there was no arrogance in Benjamin's gaze, only bitterness… and sorrow?

"Careful what you wish for, mate. To be able to do what I do, means no can hide anything from you. Yes, you'll know the good parts; but you will also know when people are too polite to say they don't like you." His eyes fell on Erina for a moment too long to be a coincidence, before continuing "You'd be able to figure out who liked you before they'd know. Being forced to stay silent, or to preempt their confession. Most likely you would be able to see it isn't going to work out for you, and take the heartbreak sooner than later."

Both Yukihira and Nakiri were stunned by the choices Ben had had to make. It was her who broke the silence "Did you have a crush on the person." She didn't know what sexual orientation he had, but she knew now was definitely not the time to find out. His lips twisted in to a grimace infinitely more horrible than the day before, when he heard the word 'crush'.

"Yeah… the feelings were mutual… Sadly I knew it wasn't going to work."

With that somber note they left Benjamin alone...

* * *

The evening came quick, as usual in the winter. Whatever gloom Erina and Yukihira-kun had seen Ben in was melted away. He had been in the kitchen for a couple of hours already, and he didn't seem to let up. She thought to herself, that maybe he was more passionate about cooking than he lead on.

This notion quickly faded when she heard him whistle a marching melody, from the British grenadier's by her limited music knowledge. Nonetheless she gathered with the small crowd forming at his workstation.

The rumor that he had accepted Yukihira-kun's challenge had spread through the dorm like a wildfire. He was currently making a dish which could easily match Yukihira's most disgusting dish, to the untrained eye: There was a homemade stock, whipping cream, sherry, frozen peas, a lemon, and a bottle of dry, sparkling wine. It seemed the only people to have any resemblance of hope for the dish was, Alice, Kurokiba-kun, and surprisingly, Erina herself.

To all the dorm members of the Polar Star it looked as though Ben had suffered a stroke, when he mixed the whipped cream with what seemed like a perfectly acceptable pea soup. Then he added the sparkling wine and the mixture began to foam up. " _ **Voila, Crème Ninon, mademoiselles et messieurs**_ "* He quickly ladled up the soup and served with a glass of sparkling wine.

All the onlookers had to try out this dish. Not only had he used peas from the garden, he had also made the chicken stock from one of their chickens. The consensus was unanimous: It tasted fine. Yukihira couldn't help sound a bit dejected "Was that really your best tasting dish?"

Benjamin raised his right eyebrow "Best tasting? Whatever do you mean, Yukihira-san? The brief clearly said my most _**impressive**_ dish, not the tastiest." Once again he'd managed to turn everything upside down with his mind-games.

Erina had a clear felling that he had shared more than he wanted when they visited his room. Maybe this was a way to keep them second-guess themselves. She heard Yukihira-kun laughing when he answered "You win this round, Ben. Not because of cooking-prowess, but because of semantics."

* * *

It took them quite some time to notice Benjamin had left. Since he had 'slept in' the night before, they assumed it was a habit. So it was first when Tadokoro went up to announce lunch was ready, that they found his room empty.

They searched high and low, but he was nowhere to be found. He wasn't surveying any of their facilities, nor on the balcony. They gave up after more than an hour of searching, still with no luck.

"I thought he would stay until Erina-cchi answered him" Yūki exclaimed.

The Nakiri queen facepalmed. "I did yesterday, but I forgot about it completely because of… other things" she had been less than a second from revealing her crush on Yukihira-kun.

"To leave without a warning, before any of us awoke, such is youth." What Isshiki-senpai said rang incredibly true. For them not to have seen him, he would have had to leave before their favorite senpai woke up… In other words: ungodly early.

They decided to return for lunch when Erina got a text from an unknown number:

 _I'll be keeping you informed, Nakiri-san_

 _BW_

* * *

 _This concludes the 4_ _th_ _chapter of_ _ **A**_ _ **Taste of Knowledge**_ _. The next couple of chapters or so will follow some of the same events with another POV… I haven't really decided after that, so please feel free to send some prompts._

* _ **Tada, Crème Ninon ladies and gentlemen**_ _(if the translation is wrong, my bad. Neither English nor French is my native language, so translation between them is a bit of a hurdle)_

\- One-of-Stone out


	5. Instinctual Knowledge

**Instinctual knowledge**

The Polar Star dormitory was filled with a lively atmosphere. The tenants of the dorm had led a rebellion against Nakiri Azami's central administration, along with Nakiri Erina.

One chef was especially in high spirits. Yukihira Sōma had earned the prestigious and coveted first seat of the elite ten, though he still didn't believe he deserved it. Most of all he was happy the dorm was safe and his friends could be happy. He was enjoying a chat with the Aldini brothers, when someone knocked on the main door. The redhead rose exclaiming "I'll get it" as he moved towards the entrance hall. He was met with quite a lot of protesting, one in particularly stood out.

"Don't bother Yukihira-kun. It's probably just Alice and Kurokiba-kun returning. This celebration is about you in particular." Sōma had never expected to hear this from the newly-appointed headmistress, whom he'd gotten a bit closer to in the last quarter of the school year.

He retorted with a grin on his face "It would be impolite not answering the door when someone knocks, Nakiri… There's no butler to do it for us at the dorm." Sōma could see her getting red as a tomato as he left the room.

* * *

As he opened the door a chilly wind crept itself inside the building. Even though he had decided to answer the door, Sōma was certain Nakiri was right in who the knocker was. This was the reason he began his sentence without checking "Oh you've made it back Naki…"

The person in front of him was definitely not Nakiri Alice. He was at least 6'5*, and even though it was in the middle of winter he had a healthy tan. Maybe he was one of the Nakiri bodyguards, he certainly had the build for it. The redhead immediately scrapped the idea as the stranger was dressed more like a teacher than a guard. Dressed in a pair of denim jeans, a plaid shirt with a suede blazer on top he stood in the entryway.

Sōma, completely taken aback, asked who he was in broken English. This was apparently unnecessary as the stranger answered in Japanese and in Keigo* no less. "Hello, might I have a word with Fumio Daimido-dono". The redhead stared at the stranger; there was something in his blue eyes that filled Sōma with dread. The young chef had been in enough threatening situations to know this man was a force to be reckoned with. It didn't help calm Sōma's nerves that his hair and beard looked like the mane of a lion.

"Um, might I have a word with Fumio Daimido-dono?" the redhead was at this point unsure how many times the Gaijin had asked, but he had to give an answer quickly. "Sorry 'bout that. I'll get her now… My name is Yukihira Sōma by the way"

The other inhabitants of the dorm had arrived in the hall wondering what was taking Yukihira Sōma this long. What they didn't expect was him taking to a stranger. Could the man be another person trying to destroy the dorm? The first seat thought as he fetched the dorm-mother. If that was the case he could be as terrifying as he liked, Sōma would stop him.

When he returned with the dorm-mother the hall was filled with an akward silence. Everyone were gauging the newcomer cautiously. The blonde man gave Fumio an envelope without any further explanation. Their following conversation reassured Sōma immensely, as far as he understood the stranger was a temporary tenant to be.

Nakiri on the other hand seemed to be completely opposed to the very notion of letting him stay "Absolutely not! I will not tolerate anyone associated with my father's way of cooking, on my school grounds. How did you even circumvent the security team?" The redhead realized how problematic this could turn out.

The man explained his connection was Nakiri Senzaemon and he already had clearance. Why Azami hadn't revoked it, Sōma couldn't guess.

* * *

In the kitchen the stranger, apparently named Benjamin, began cutting pancetta into uniform pieces for his dish. Soon the room filled with the savory smell of meat frying. Pasta was boiling on the stove, and he had readied a small mountain of parmesan for his dish. Though he lacked in the speed department, his methodical precession made Ben look like a robot.

After the verdict on his dish Nakiri scolded the stranger for not caring. It was clear, even to Sōma, that Benjamin's nonchalant reply made the headmistress furious. After she gave her lackluster analysis all of the dorm-members had to try the dish. As soon as the redhead chef tasted it he understood what they had meant: Sure it tasted like a carbonate, but there wasn't the clear vision after tasting a dish. Even so, Sōma picked up on something he didn't know if anyone else had, this Benjamin Williams was clearly more talented in the kitchen than he'd shown.

* * *

With Benjamin being a temporary Polar Star member they invited him to join the celebration. They decided to go with one of their favorite card-games 'old maid'. Though the newcomer had been reluctant to play, it soon became clear he was a very proficient player:

The first round he looked at each player, probably looking for tells Sōma thought, before smiling reassuringly. When they fell on the first-seat though, it terrified him. It felt nothing like how one normally looks for tells; instead it felt like a predatory animal looking for any sign of weakness in its prey. A smile began spreading across the strangers face, but it was in no way reassuring, it was an intrigued, crooked grin. Had it been the same smile when he looked at the other player and Sōma just didn't notice? It was an intense game with Benjamin finishing first and the redhead on a close 2nd place. The game ended with Takumi ironically admitting he had cried every time he lost a game as a child.

Something must at a point thrown Ben off balance because he was left as the only player beside Nakiri, him with two cards and her with one. If she could manage to win the last pair, Benjamin would finally have to tell the gang a secret. Sōma watched in anticipation as her pale hand reached toward one of the cards, but it was the old maid. Then he saw it; the newcomer went for the kill as soon as the blonde woman had shuffled her cards, and the redhead knew Ben had been playing her the whole time. He hadn't gotten worse; he intentionally put himself in the situation to make her lose. It was with reddened cheeks and tears in her eyes the headmistress started speaking. "As you all know, I've known Yukihira-kun's father since I was little… the truth is… I, I had a childhood crush on him!"

Sōma didn't know how to react. It was very surreal to hear someone, let alone someone his age, admit they'd had the hots for his dad. Then again the girls if the dorm had been star-struck the first time they met him.

Benjamin was trying one of the first-seats new creations, when the other Nakiri and Kurokiba arrived. He tried the dish in stride, with no emotion betraying him. He simply commented "It's certainly not good… to be polite, I'll call it avant-garde." The two of them were more or less interrupted by the white haired girl, whom at the sight of 'the test-subject' let out an excited screech " _ **Ben? Hvordan har du det?**_ " she then proceeded to hug him tightly. This baffled Sōma quite a bit; he had thought she was dating Kurokiba, yet she was getting intimate with Benjamin - It took them the better part of an hour to sort the misunderstanding out.

As the Danish man explained his reason for coming to Tōtsuki, he asked the Blonde Nakiri if they should find a vacant room. Luckily she flatly denied this idea. Sōma was certain them talking in private would be a bad idea. "Ok. I have a proposal to make…" Benjamin began, the redheads felt his heartbeat slow down to a hard rhythm, was he really proposing to her? As Ben continued his sentence, Sōma exhaled; he had unknowingly held his breath.

As the temporary tenant began his explanation the redheaded chef understood why Azami hadn't revoked the security clearance. The former headmaster had without a doubt wanted to get Benjamin on his side, Sōma didn't even dare to imagine what would had happened if he managed it. As Nakiri was uncertain if she needed his help, the Polar Star dorm-members asked him all sorts of dilemmas. In the case of a disagreement between Daigo and Shōji, he was fair in his reason and decision.

When Tadokoro asked if they should resume the game Ben politely refused, making Nakiri Alice quite mad. She said she wanted to play and hear the embarrassing stories, but the other Dane looked at her before asking teasingly "Are you sure? You could lose." Sōma was sure Benjamin would make her lose and unsurprisingly she didn't push it further. Instead she stuck her tongue out at him when he had his back turned, rummaging through his luggage. "Oh that's really mature, Alice." He didn't even look at her as he made his comment. The newcomer pulled out a keyboard from his possessions.

At some point they began singing the school song. Sōma had yet to learn the lyrics, but Benjamin quickly got the gist of the melody and accompanied the singers on his instrument.

* * *

The next day Sōma was experimenting in the kitchen. He had finished his chores quickly so he could try out new dishes. He had woken up missing his mother a lot, so he decided to make her famous congee as well. The first-seat was just done checking it, when he heard a shrill voice. " _ **Sōma!**_ Sōma, you need to help me! Ben just collapsed! I don't know if he's breathing."

He rushed out of the kitchen to the entrance hall, where he found Erina, pale in the face, trying to wake the unconscious Benjamin

* * *

 _This concludes the fifth chapter of_ _ **a taste of Knowledge**_ _. Sorry for the late update it was a bit difficult writing about the same situations without repeating too much, but I think it turned out ok. If it_ was _too much please let me know, and then I'll minimize it in the next chapter._

\- One-of-Stone out

* 195 cm

* Polite/formal Japanese


	6. Know Thyself

**Know Thyself***

Sōma rushed out of the kitchen to the entrance hall, where he found Erina, pale in the face, trying to wake the unconscious Benjamin. He felt his body-temperature drop by several degrees as he entered the hall. The redhead tried to speak, but to no avail.

"M- Maybe he had too much rice juice yesterday." Nakiri's voice was clearly shaken by the incident.

"No he went to his room when Ryōko returned with the bottles; so it can't be because of that… Let's get him onto one of the couches in the dining room for now."

To say the endeavor was difficult would be an understatement. It was no easy feat to carry the Dane's body in deadweight by his arms, but Sōma barely recognized the labor-intense task. His mind was preoccupied with other thoughts; because Ben hadn't been the only one to retire early, Nakiri had as well… and she was unusually on edge this morning, had something happened between the two of them. The first-seat remembered the shock he had gotten when Benjamin had used the word 'propose'; sure it had only been a second in real time before he continued to explain it, but it had seemed like an eternity to Sōma. _Why had it felt so long?_ Well it's not every day you think someone is asking your friend's hand in marriage. _Yeah that must be it, Sōma._

After they had finally managed to lift the newcomer onto an ottoman in the dining room, Nakiri crouched next to his face, a worried look in her eyes. Once again the redhead felt his body freeze to ice and go numb - something had definitely happened between them.

* * *

Nearly an hour passed by, with the two of them putting cold presses on his forehead, before Benjamin regained consciousness. It didn't take long for Nakiri to explain the situation; again she was as tense as a board of hardwood - _What is up with her today?_ Sōma thought to himself.

When Ben told them that this wasn't the first time something like this had happened, something inside the first-seat pushed him to speak. "I get that. Sometimes I can't sleep for hours on end, until I work myself hard in the kitchen." _What was that, you idiot? This isn't a competition. Why would you say such a thing? It's not something to brag about, it's reckless behavior._ The redhead mentally slapped himself for that comment, but Benjamin couldn't stop a chuckle. "Really, Yukihira-san? Maybe the two of us aren't that different" Sōma wasn't sure if that meant as a compliment, but he didn't get the time to mold it over. Since Ben hadn't had anything to eat all day, he asked Sōma to make him something.

When the first-seat stepped into the kitchen he could hear Benjamin and Nakiri were talking, but their voices were muffled by the walls and the door. He couldn't help it, but he felt uneasy leaving them alone. Sōma still knew practically nothing about the Dane, was it really okay to let them be? _Well, I'll be able to hear Nakiri scream if he tries anything._

* * *

The redhead had lost track of time when the congee was finally done. He had scrapped his experiments for another time and focused solely on the porridge, tasting every so often to mimic his mom's perfectly. At one point he heard Nakiri through the wall, but he tried his best not to listen in; it was a private conversation after all. He grabbed two bowls to serve the porridge in; one for himself and one for Benjamin.

After having eaten his share, Sōma returned to the dining room with the other portion. Nakiri was just about to take it, when Ben spoke up "I think I can manage the Congee myself, Nakiri-san. I passed out, but my arms are intact." He gave the redhead an almost unnoticeable glance before taking the bowl himself. The redhead sat down next to the headmistress as the newcomer ate. Was it just him, or did she tense up again when he did so?

"It's really good Yukihira-san" was all Benjamin could say before returning to the rice porridge. The first-seat couldn't help but smile. _It was really close to moma's today_. He explained to the newcomer that he didn't deserve any credit for the dish. He felt a pang in his heart when he said it out loud. It was ok thinking about her, but talking about it made it real somehow. Sōma had been very young the last time he saw his mom, and even to this day his dad refused to talk about it. So many years had gone by, that he wasn't sure how she died… or even if she actually died - _stop hoping, Sōma. Mom is dead._

He looked up and saw something that made Ben seem infinitely more human. Pure, unadulterated sympathy gleamed in the Dane's eyes; but when Sōma blinked, he face was buried in the Congee once more. _That man's hiding something… surely the pasta dish isn't the secret weapon of his cooking arsenal, there_ must _be something more; and I want to know what I'm dealing with._ Before he knew it the first-seat had challenged the stranger… the redhead didn't understand why he had this need to compete with Benjamin, but that was too late to ponder on.

* * *

Sōma was used to more of a reaction when he was going up against someone than wanting a chewing gum. Nakiri offered some of hers, but that apparently wouldn't suffice. Ben wanted a nicotine gum, which he had left in his room. The headmistress wrapped his left arm around her shoulder. Sōma tensed of what would happen if they went to Benjamin's room alone; so he wrapped the Dane's other arm around his own shoulder.

Ben had protested them helping him, but arm in arm they made their way to his room. He opened his door softly, and a dimly-lit room welcomed them. At first it looked like any other room at the Polar Star, but then the eyes adjusted to the light. On the pin board the dorm tenants used for letters and postcards, was created a literal web of different colored strings; each going from one scrap of paper to another. Every piece of paper had something written on them in English, which sadly wasn't Sōma's forte, that and the fact there was no lights turned on made it impossible to read.

As Benjamin explained what it was, the redhead began looking for his own name… for some reason he really wanted to know the status between himself and his friends. Nakiri was apparently studying another part of the board, maybe she was looking for her piece of paper. He quickly learned the gist of the color-scheme: Green was 'friendship', dark blue was 'family', pink was 'in love', and red was 'going steady'. Then there were more difficult colors to discern: light blue, yellow and black; all of which Sōma couldn't guess the meaning of. Sometimes there would be multiple strings between to paper scraps, indicating conflicting relations.

"So this is the extent of what you learned. I wish I could do something similar." The first-seat finally managed to utter. He glanced quickly at the blonde girl before his eyes returned to the diagram. _It would be nice to know what Nakiri is thinking sometimes_ … unknown to Sōma; she was sneaking a peak at him moments after he did, blushing.

"Careful what you wish for, mate. To be able to do what I do means no one can hide anything from you." Benjamin continued explaining after a heavy sigh…

Sōma let the gravity of that lifestyle sink in. Always having ones guard up in fear of being hurt or hurting others - It could be difficult enough as an average person, but seeing past every white lie would be too painful. _Ben must be living a quite lonely life… well; we'll have fun with him here._

* * *

It would be an understatement to say the redhead was disappointed by Benjamin's dish that evening. It certainly looked stunning, but the actual taste was nothing breathtaking; just a better than average pea-soup. The first-seat inquired him if it really was the best he could make. The Dane gave a tongue in cheek "Best tasting? Whatever do you mean, Yukihira-san? The brief clearly said my most **_impressive_** dish, not the tastiest."

 _"Benjamin Williams you cheeky asshole, you get away with that dish on a technicality"_ Sōma thought. He accepted that the newcomer would keep his cooking-prowess secret… for now.

The night progressed similarly to the night before with a few key differences. First of all; Benjamin was drinking the rice juice with them, not that it made any impact as he was the only one actually old enough to have tried alcohol. Secondly; instead of playing 'old maid', Ben and Nakiri Alice were playing their own version of '20 questions' with some bizarre rules.

As the newcomer had retired early from the party the day before, he'd never seen Isshiki-senpai's infamous 'naked apron'. What the dorm members had thought could be a fun episode, was immediately cut down; Benjamin didn't even flinch.

* * *

When the group couldn't find their temporary tenant the next day, a wild goose chase began. It was only when Nakiri explained she had accepted the business-arrangement, they managed to find out he'd left the country.

 _He's even harder to keep tab on than pops. Well; I doubt it'll be the last thing we see of Benjamin Williams._

* * *

 _This concludes the sixth chapter of **A taste of Knowledge** , I hope you liked it… if you did, you can do the different kinds of following and commenting. Next chapter will be after a short time skip, up to more current events in the manga… on a related note, I might not be able to post next week as I'm out of the country, but I'll try to see if I can work some magic._

 _*_ **Inscription at the entrance of the 'oracle of Delphi'**

\- One-of-Stone out


	7. Informed decisions

**Informed Decisions**

 _From this chapter onwards A Taste of Knowledge will be M-rated, so I can write whatever I want... It'll mostly be in case of coarse language_

 _\- enjoy -_

* * *

While Nakiri Erina was filing paperwork at the desk in her office, night swept its dark blanket over the land. It had been an endless string of days like this one since she took on the role as headmistress; up at dawn, in bed well past midnight. There was no longer time to party with the members of the Polar Star dorm… the last one she participated in was the 3rd day of celebrating their victory over Central. Since then it had been nothing, but work for the Blonde girl which had taken its toll on her.

The menial task she worked on this night was the worst in the four months she had held her position. The tediousness of it was so deafening, she almost overheard the strange sound. It was a metallic noise like the roar of a car engine, what person could be out and about at this hour. She looked at the clock it was almost 10 pm; quite late for someone to be driving around. She was, however, nowhere near done with her paperwork and shrugged the sound off.

In this state of boredom Erina's mind began to drift. Her thoughts drifted toward the subject it seemingly always did these day, no matter how much it infuriated her: Yukihira Soma. What antics was he up to right now. Earlier today he and Tadokoro-san had left for the hot springs town to find out what had happened to the Windvane establishment. For some reason Yukihira-kun had made a huge fuss about doing so. The headmistress had thought it could be a nice way to take a break from the daily chores of an elite ten member, while still tending to their obligations. Instead he acted like he was being wrongfully punished. She had at least 10 times as much work to do, yet he still complained like a spoiled brat… Why couldn't he just think a little about her feelings as well?

"Problems in the matter of the heart?" a dark voice said behind her. The Blonde was taken aback; she hadn't heard anyone enter, and it was certainly not Hisako asking.

When she turned around she saw a familiar figure, clad completely in black leather and holding a motorcycle helmet under his left arm. He looked tired, or maybe ill: dark circles under his eyes, his hair looked like a birds nest, and his beard made look like a homeless hillbilly. In her office stood Benjamin Williams looking like he was about to drop dead.

"It's about Yukihira-san" The tone he used made it clear that it was a statement, not a question. Despite his ragged appearance, his voice still commanded authority.

"W- why would it be about Yukihira-kun" Erina stammered. The tall Dane glanced at her indicating he wasn't buying it for a second. She knew lying to him would be futile; he had guessed the girl's crush on the redhead, before she even realized herself. The headmistress only choice was telling the truth.

"He's really been getting on my nerves lately, actually. It's like he can't understand what I have to deal with. I sent him to the hot springs town to investigate what happened, and he and the gall to be pissed about it… I can't believe him sometimes…" Erina would've continued her tirade to the heat-death of the universe, if she hadn't been cut short by Ben.

"Wait, you send him to investigate the incident I sent your way?" He looked if possible even sicker now.

"Yes, it's quite normal for elite ten members to perform these kinds of tasks. What is the problem?" By now Benjamin's facial expression had gone from bad to worse.

"What is the problem?! I specifically told you that we were dealing with chefs working for the criminal underground, since I thought you would do something rash. The reason I'm even back in Japan is because, I'd deal with the situation myself… Instead you send the most reckless of all the Tootsuki students to handle it, what were you thinking?"

Erina was beginning to get really pissed. After over 16 hours of sleep, her least favorite Dane had showed up, and started yelling at her. She took a deep breath to calm down.

"Well you didn't say, you'd deal with it yourself. Besides Yukihira-kun isn't alone, I sent Tadokoro-san with him… she can keep him in check."

Ben looked like he was on the brink of tears. "You've let Yukihira Soma and Tadokoro Megumi travel to a romantic hot springs town together, alone? Why on earth would you do that? Erina that is the last thing you do if you have a crush on the boy… don't give me that look, you know I'm right… what would you do if she has feelings for him, and decide to act upon them when they're alone? Oh for fucks sake, this is like trying to teach a toddler about quantum physics."

When the Blonde headmistress snapped at him, Benjamin mind was already broken. Mumbling about having to tell her things like this.

* * *

Erina's scolding had reached about 110 decibel, when Hisako entered her office wanting to know what the commotion was for. When she saw who her friend was yelling at, she pointed at him muttering "H- how?"

"When you were in the restroom I presume… as I said last time we met Nakiri-san, you have a bit of a security issue - if you're done shouting my ears off, I have to contact your dear cousin; she clearly hasn't been following my instructions thoroughly enough."

The headmistress was still short on breath after her verbal take down, but she managed to gasp "What does Alice have to do with any of this?"

Ben looked at her incredulously. "Quite a lot actually, I don't know how you've missed it to be honest. Then again it is not the most idiotic thing I've found out about you tonight."

Erina glared at him "What is then?" she already knew the answer, but she was trying to goat him to mess up. His answer was expected yet surprising.

"The fact that you've let your guard down. I suspect it isn't you Yukihira-san who's dealing with the situation I informed you about, and you said it was the elite ten's obligation to deal with it. Meaning, you've put the best chefs out in the field; which in turn also have let your defensive position to weaken. This was also why I wanted to work on the case myself, since a united Tootsuki would be a daunting task to challenge… But I digress; the fact is that you have no idea how deeply your cousin actually cares about you."

"You're full of it, aren't you?"

The Danes eyes were filled with equal parts disappointment and determination.

"Then let me tell you the real story of what happened the first time I met Nakiri Alice."

* * *

 _This concludes chapter 7 of A Taste of Knowledge, I hope you liked it. Feel free to comment if there's any problems or you have an idea for later chapters. From now on I'll try to write mostly in tandem with the manga. If everything goes according to the plan this is out on schedule, the chapter was a bit shorter this week since it was mostly a dialogue between Benjamin and everybody's favorite headmistress (That and the fact I'm currently in Norway) Next chapter will be about the ballad of Nakiri Alice's last days in Denmark._

\- One-of-Stone out


	8. The Ballad of Nakiri Alice

**The Ballad of Nakiri Alice**

"Very well Nakiri-san i'll tell you about my first encounter with your cousin:"

* * *

Around the Easter-holiday four years ago I had been contracted by an important figure in Danish politics. This person had been compromised in an intimate matter, and hired me to deal with the situation. The assignment was nothing above the normal work I do and was quickly finished. There was only one catch, which was this figure was, and still is, very busy. This meant I had to meet said person at the annual Easter party at the Nakiri estate; and thus I ended up in my personal hell, a socialite party during holidays.

Due to my upbringing, I had attended a fair share of these kinds of events, and knew what I had in store… or so I thought. This Soirée was ten times worse; calling the whole ordeal lavish would be an understatement: A white-tie event with men in the most expensive tailor-made suits, and women in extravagant 'unique' dresses. The food was unsurprisingly fantastic, but it was food meant more to look great than anything else.

I felt completely misplace in the situation: It had been around ten years since my last 'gathering', and back then it was with my family with me. This time I was alone; I didn't recognize anyone and I had no intentions of getting to know anyone there. My only goal was to finish the contract, and get the hell out of there. Luckily it was rather cold that spring or else the tuxedo would have been unbearable to wear.

It had been nearly an hour before I found my employer, and by this point I was seriously contemplating an airstrike against the whole establishment. As I was wrapping up my report, I relished the thought of getting out from this purgatory.

This was when I heard the most grating sound; it was the noise of someone throwing a temper tantrum. I made my way through various rooms and halls before I located the source: there in the middle of a living-room, stood a girl bawling her eyes out. The sight shocked me, to say the least; I expected this sort of behavior from a 10-year-old at most. Even so, the white-haired girl I saw was three years older, at least. When I got closer it became clear to me that this was the hosts' daughter, your cousin, Alice.

I offered up my assistance to help her out… my reasoning being it would be impolite not to help her, since her parents had let me come uninvited - I could always leave afterwards. When I inquired why she was upset, it quickly became clear that she had lost a stuffed animal. Your cousin gave a detailed description of its characteristics, to help me identifying it:

 _A caramel colored, stuffed dog standing on hind legs, wearing a chef's uniform, named 'Chefie'._

Then I asked her where she would normally take it with her… The answer was disheartening: _Everywhere._ Then approximately when and where had she last seen it. After a few rounds of process of elimination I had a general idea of where to find it. As I told you before it took me 12 minutes and 45 seconds to find it.

* * *

"Why would Alice freak out about a simple child's toy days before traveling to Japan's most prestigious culinary school?" Erina muttered to herself, interrupting Benjamin's story.

"My thought exactly Nakiri-san: why would a girl her age be this upset about a lost toy? It was clearly not something expensive, and she would have loads of toys from her parents'. Yet, for some reason that stuffed dog was more important than anything else, in her possession. The answer was obvious: You!"

The blonde girl looked at him in disbelief "Me?"

Ben sighed and rolled his eyes "Yes, You Nakiri-san? This toy, 'Chefie', was a gift from you which she had received just before traveling to Denmark. To you, in hindsight, it is practically worthless. But to her a girl coming to a foreign land, knowing nobody it'll have been the only comfort on many occasions… I guarantee. This also meant that losing it was unbelievably rude to you, the giver - Well back to the story."

* * *

After having found her precious stuffed animal, your dear cousin couldn't thank me enough: she even invited me to judge a cooking match between her and Kurokiba-san. I tried to explain my intention of leaving the party, but she would hear none of it. So I was forced to play games with them.

Since I was the judge, the choice of theme was mine: with my, granted limited, knowledge of cooking, I chose the theme 'Danish deserts'. This more intense than I had ever seen someone making food:

Alice was making a sauce of Danish frozen berries, all from high-end producers. Furthermore she made use of liquid nitrogen to quick-freeze whipping cream. Kurokiba-san on the other hand made another classic, even with homemade biscuits that garnishes the desert.

In the end I was presented a hot, Danish-styled berry crème* with freeze dried whipped cream. And a desert called ' _ **koldskål**_ ' made from buttermilk and egg yolks, served with ' _ **Kammerjunker**_ '*. The decision was unbelievably tough, but in the end I had to go with Kurokiba's desert. Your cousin had been unfocused through the whole battle, and it had affected her dish… This was when I began suspecting she was harboring romantic feelings for her aide...

* * *

"After that I had hoped that I could leave, but I had to cook for them as well… This is the true story behind Alice and me."

The headmistress looked at the Dane incredulously; he hadn't explained at all "What does this has to do with anything?"

Ben scratched his neck, how should he explain it if she still didn't understand. "Your cousin cares about you deeply… maybe deeper than she cares for anybody else. The fact that she owed me for finding 'Chefie' meant I could ask her a favor. When I learned about your crush on Yukihira-san, I asked her to help you and report back to me."

"But why do you go above and beyond to help me? - I thought you wouldn't meddle."

Benjamin rubbed the bridge between his sleep-deprived eyes with the thumb and index finger of his left hand "because we're the same Nakiri-san. Two individuals with unique talents that distances us from our peers. I chose not to pursue love when I had the chance, and regrets it more every single day. I'm just trying to give you the tools to decide for yourself when it's time for you to make the choice."

With that Benjamin made his exit out in the night.

* * *

 _This concludes the eighth chapter of 'A taste of knowledge'. This chapter was particularly fun to write so I hope you enjoyed, feel free to follow or comment… Ideas are more than welcome since I don't having any specific plans for future chapters._

 _ **Danish-styled berry crème: Also known as '**_ Rød Grød _ **' (lit. red porridge)Made from seasonal berries.**_

 _ **Kammerjunker: small biscuits usually served with '**_ Koldskål'

\- One-of-Stone out


	9. Dangerous Knowledge

_A taste of Kowledge is back, hopefully anyone still interested will enjoy!_

* * *

 **Dangerous knowledge**

Benjamin could feel blood rushing in his ears and his heart pounding deep in the leather-clad chest. He was in a hurry as tore through desolate night roads of Japan on his dual sport. He had to get there in time.

Ben knew that the Tōtsuki second years would be having their end of term exams tomorrow and he could not afford to be late in meeting the headmistress. He had screwed up, or rather she had and since their last meeting he'd tried to fix the situation. Now it all came down to this last resort, before the incident could spin more out of control. He looked down at the speedometer - already soaring far above the frankly far too low speed limit - he thought back to what had transpired:

After his last meeting with Nakiri Erina he had trudged through a living hell of criminal cases, about half of the Midnight chefs cases to find everything he could dig up. Most of them had kept quiet at first, but he had found a way to make them talk - he always did. It was amazing how willingly people confessed when they found out he could dig even more dirt up on them than they could ever remember having committed. What he found was on the chilling side of cases even for him; Yukihira's half-brother had send the midnight chefs not only to test the capabilities of Tōtsuki or to weaken their general position, he'd done it to find each of their weaknesses not unlike Benjamin worked himself. And now he was going under a pseudonym to either woo or, as a last resort, kidnap the headmistress to be his wife so he could use her God-tongue for his own needs. Ben hadn't had a chance to get enough information on how dangerous he was in a classic sense of the word, but he had beaten his father in a Shokugeki - and tomorrow he would be on his way to the examination, where his plans would come to fruition… one way or another.

This was why Benjamin was tearing up roads in a foreign country, so sleep deprived that he might vomit. He had sped down - he knew reckless driving on a bike could be fatal, and he could see the main office of Japan's top culinary school just up ahead. He hoped Nakiri Erina was still at her office or at least still up this late.

Said girl was just exiting the building getting ready to go home after another tiring day, but sadly fate wouldn't be so kind. She looked up as she heard the roar of a motorcycle just in time to see it skid on the road before the driver was flung across the asphalt and landed before her feet. A shrill scream piercing the night…

* * *

Erina hadn't thought she would spend the last night before the end of term exam in an ER facility, yet here she was. The blonde girl had been about to leave her office after another exhausting day of work. She had to do the final business before the exams, including the finishing touches on said exam, so paperwork had been a living nightmare - and the infuriating, redheaded First-seat had been no help at all. All she could think about these days was what that dinerboy had exclaimed to Suzuki-sensei on the day of their battle - that and the new teacher himself. It was obvious he was trying to court her, and even though she was flattered it didn't sit right with her: He treated her exactly like the heroes did the heroines in her Shōjo manga, but it felt wrong for some reason - why couldn't Yukihira-kun be chivalrous like that. It was deep in thoughts like these it had happened.

For some reason Benjamin had come for another late-night meeting, but had had an accident on his bike right as she was going home. The paramedics had said he was lucky; because of this low speed during the crash, most of his bodily functions were still intact: he had a few 1st degree road rash burns. They said it was still likely he had a concussion. And so he was transported to a nearby clinic with her as his health-insurance voucher, she had been the one to give what information she could.

It was nearly 1 am when a nurse came out to talk to her. "How is he?" Erina was about to fall over from exhaustion, her eyes were stinging so tired was she.

The nurse, not much older than herself, gave a worrying response.

"He's getting some needed rest - as should you. But I have some information you have to know… Is he your boyfriend?"

In most other situations where such a thing was suggested, Erina would either be flustered or irritated, but in this serious situation she just meekly replied he was merely an acquaintance and she was there because she witnessed what happened.

The nurse simply nodded before continuing. "His concussion might be worse than we thought. He keeps insisting that his name is Jonathan… but more worrying he might have killed someone."

Erina looked through the glass pane to the Dane's hospital room, him lying relaxed in a bed cuffed to the side of it…

* * *

 _This concludes the ninth chapter of 'A taste of Knowledge' I hope you liked it. If so feel free to review, favorite and follow. You are also more than welcome to leave story ideas/prompts, as it is a work in progress. This is also, to anyone interested in why there has been a hiatus, the reason - that and the revelation of who was behind the midnight, IMO was disappointing to say the least._

 _See you in the next one!_

\- One-of-Stone out


End file.
